Tag Archives: Yunnan

Water-Splashing Festival – A great boisterous affair!

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A fascinating festival welcoming the New Year, the Water Splashing Festival is a much looked forward to event amongst the Chinese.  Anantara Xishuangbanna Resort & Spa is a preferred hotel in Yunnan among those who flock to the city in time to witness the festivities as this hotel Yunnan has to offer is placed ideally in the middle of all the happenings so as to not miss anything. The water-splashing Festival is considered to be the most important festival of all by the Dai ethnic community. Held during the sixth month of the Dai calendar, the festival falls mid-April and is also known as the Festuival for Bathing the Buddha. In the Dai language, the festival is also known as “Shanghan”, “Jingbimai” or “Hounan” and lasts for three days in total. The first day sees the people bathing and changing into new cloths to go and worship the Buddha and engage in religious activities. Devotees flock together on temple grounds to make a tower with sand after which they listen to Buddhist scriptures sitting around the sand tower. Afterwards, the Buddha statue is carried out and splashed with water by the village women as a part of ritual. Initially, people gently sprinkled water on each other as a sign of respect as part of a cleansing ritual welcoming the New Year but since the festival falls during the hottest month in South East Asia, people generally end up dousing vehicles and even strangers with water as part of the merrymaking.

 

Jayani Senanayake is a writer who dabbles in travel and all things exotic. Under the pseudonym of Calliope Sage, she writes of the allures that must simply be discovered.

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Ethnic Li-Miao Festival – The Festival of Love

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One of the most significant festivals celebrated by the Miao and Li ethnic communities of Sanya is the Chinese Valentine’s Day, which falls on March 3, according to the lunar calendar. Witness and participate in the festivities of this famous event, made all the more enjoyable when residing at a luxury hotel in Yunnan such as the Anantara Xishuangbanna. With gracious hospitality and elegant interiors, you will be able to enjoy your time at this quality hotel Yunnan has to offer in the region. Single young people and couples who are unmarried eagerly look forward to the Chinese Valentine’s Day, which is when they will be able to focus their energies on finding a partner, or declare their love for each other. The most populous ethnic group in the region comprise the Li people, who also venerate their ancestors on this day and pray for luck and prosperity to visit them in the following year. During the valentine festival, young people put on their best and most attractive clothing, hold hands and sing all manner of romantic songs, before retreating for a date in a boat-shaped house, which is what all Li houses look like. At dawn, they present each other with a token and promise to meet again the following year. It is a beautiful ceremony that serves as the end piece for a lovely event full of heart and promise.

Angela Fernando is an impassioned travel writer who composes pieces under the pen name Sumaira Narayan. She loves writing about new and exciting places around the world and hopes to visit them all someday. Google+

Mengbalanaxi Culture Show – a cultural escapade

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The Xishuangbanna province is undoubtedly one of the tourist destinations that is very rich in its cultural offerings. With so many interesting aspects of Xishuangbanna, one cannot simply explore the beautiful culture here over a mere span of a few days. Therefore, one of the best ways to discover the heart and soul of this vibrant community is to take in the famous Mengbalanaxi Cultural Show.

The word “Mengbalanaxi” derives from the Dai language, which roughly translates to “mysterious and beautiful hometown”. This show is truly worth witnessing, and it presents a fantastic cultural opportunity for kids and adults alike to enjoy, as it beautifully brings to light the historic origins of Xishuangbanna along with local festivals, beliefs and traditions.

The show is a very colourful exhibition of Dai culture, with vibrant dancing and singing, while the peacock dance is its most famous aspect. It is singularly the most popular Dai folk dance where Xishuangbanna women dance rhythmically to musical accompaniment imitating the lively and graceful movements of the majestic peacock. The Elephant foot drum dance is another famous dance performed at this show by the men folk. The instrument used in this dance is a very unique one as it is made out of a mango truck covered with cowhide, which resembles a foot of an elephant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The meticulously organized performances, well-planned stage designs, and the vibrant costumes with the mesmerising light effects make this show one of the best cultural extravaganzas in the country. The show starts daily at 10 o’clock and runs for approximately one hour and forty minutes. All in all, the Mengbalanaxi Cultural Show is an excellent way to spend your evening soaking up the local culture of the Xishuangbanna province.

Are you looking for quality accommodation in China while you explore this wonderful country? Your best bet comes in the form of a stay at a quality hotel in Yunnan that offers travellers an amazing experience with top-notch services. A good choice to host your time here would be the Anantara Xishuangbanna, China located in the midst of a scenic idyll. A mere 45 minutes away from the Jinghong International Airport, this hotel Yunnan is set in the vicinity of some other hotspot attractions such as the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, the Wild Elephant Sanctuary, the White Pagoda and Dai Villages, to give you a well-rounded itinerary of sightseeing.

Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.

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